1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for distributing a cementitious material over a given surface area and incorporating components which serve to consolidate and finish the cementitious material being applied wherein application and distribution take place in a substantially continuous fashion. The material distributed is normally but not limited to a discontinuous cementitious or concrete material generally forming roadway type surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the construction industry particularly in the category of building roads and the like surface areas, concrete or similar material is widely used and is considered among other materials, generally favored for roadway type construction. In such industries the term "concrete" is used generally to define a collection or aggregation of materials which together form a reasonably continuous solid. Prior art products include both Portland cement concrete and a variety of synthetic concretes, such as asphaltic concrete in which inert aggregates are mixed with a bituminous binding component. In Portland cement concrete the object is to obtain a continuous monolithic material with substantially isotropic characteristics. In conventional and by far the majority of normal applications of concrete, voids and/or small discontinuities or inclusions of air are considered to be undesirable since these voids, etc. detract from the operating or performing characteristics of the end concrete product. In particular, the lack of such strength shortens the operable life when roadway surfaces are subjected to high speed heavy weight vehicular traffic. In the specialized category of pervious or similarly discontinuous concretes however, such voids are intentional in the production of the concrete, to produce other advantages. It is still accepted however that such concrete suffers from inherent problems which make the overall product relatively undesirable. In addition to the general lack of performance characteristics due to these derogatory effects on overall strength, prior art discontinuous concretes are generally considered of variable quality and indeterminant permeability. Reliability of such products is therefore questioned for control or specified construction applications.
In applying discontinuous pervious concrete therefore it is particularly important to utilize apparatus which will effectively and efficiently cause the regulated and controlled distribution and consolidation of such material.
Accordingly, there is a great need in the "paving" apparatus industry to develop assemblies, mechanisms, and devices capable of effectively, and efficiently distributing and applying discontinuous concrete type compositions. Such application and distribution should be done on a continuous and controlled basis so as to provide a quality cementitious material product thereby insuring the performance and operative characteristics intended and designed.